Weather

The weather has been mostly crappie ever since we got here. Cloudy, damp and dark day after day. Gee, almost like being in Iowa! The only difference is it is probably 30 degrees colder there. It has been mostly in the 50s 24/7. The cure for this is an occasional cribbage game with Liz and Dave, watching stuff on Netflix. It was a bit better today so we went for a walk, played some pool and went to Churches Chicken for supper.
On Netflix we watched "Room". It completely captured me and I would highly recommend it. And then last night we watched "The Christmas Chronicles". It was excellent and will grow into a classic.
Butch is off tonight playing pool. Some things have not changed in the move to another park.
There are many things we like about this park and so far it seems likely we will return.
I start the trivia next Tuesday evening and I have expectations of it growing from whatever its beginnings turn out to be. Stephanie, the activity director has assured me that they have been asking when trivia would get started. I look upon that as a good sign.

A great Thanksgiving Dinner

Yes, we went to a Mexican restaurant for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. In addition to what you see pictured on this plate, we had rolls, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. It was all quite delicious.

John and Carol are in the background and not remembering the two in the foreground.

We had music and he played a variety and played it very well.

Butch, Roger, Ruth, Connie, and Chuck. Our hostess and cook is talking to the group.

Kristi (sp?) is passing out special napkins.

Cindy and Fred

Dave and Liz throwing back a coke

Grandma's Kitchen

That is my Grandma Z, my aunt, cousins, and sister Theresa in the foreground.
I am certain this was a Thanksgiving.

Plans for the Day

So far I have finished up a trivia set of questions. I have plenty already but I want to make sure the Elks have not had the questions before if they happen to need them for their January Trivia night.

I also did some housekeeping on my blog page. I clicked on a link or two on the sidebar and either they would not go where they were supposed to or there had not been a new entry for sometimes years. So I deleted a few. If you have a suggestion for a replacement tell me and we can add it.

And as a reminder, if you would like to get notifications of new entries of this blog in your email all you need to do is put your email address in the proper place at the bottom of this page. There is probably a verification process so after you enter it go check your email. If all is okay when I write a new entry you will receive an email of it.

We will be going to a Mexican restaurant, El Mana, for a traditional Thanksgiving meal. There will be 16 -20 of our new friends and acquaintances. Check back for pictures.

The Giving of Thanks

Not written by me but well written- Barb

A Time to Give Thanks
Some days it doesn’t feel like I have a lot to be thankful for. The trouble with getting older is everything you remember is painted with the brushes of the past. Those brushes, the echoes and reflections of the past color everything I do today. And sometimes the colors of my memories of moments long past are dull and lifeless and even forlorn – if you can even imagine such colors.

It’s hard to imagine, but I’m sure that when the moments now in my memory were being made the colors probably were bright, dazzling, vibrant and eye-catching. The grass was greener, the autumn leaves were redder, the sky was bluer, the sun was brighter, the days were longer, the seasons shorter, back in the days when my lifetime stretched before me like an endless highway – a highway so long that it disappeared into the horizon. With forever before me, my choices were infinite and unlimited.

It’s funny how life catches up with you. As John Lennon so aptly said “...Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans…“

Now the road that once stretched forever before me, is much shorter and I feel the weight of time slowing me down. My choices are limited not by my imagination but by the constraints of age and the world around me.

My dreams though, are more numerous and more vivid than ever. In my dreams I am ageless and I relive the moments of the past without limits, without age, without constraints. And whether those dreams be good or bad, heavenly or hellish, I am ageless, I am vigorous, I am me.

Thanksgiving is coming up soon and for me, maybe for you too, this time of year lends itself to memories – both good and bad.

My mom died in November – right before Thanksgiving. She died when I was ten. And that memory and all the tears and heartbeat and sadness that it brings is still as fresh as the day it happened. I can smell the flowers around her casket. I can smell the cloying odor of the funeral home. My mom’s face at rest, though cosmetically enhanced, haunts me still. The “what ifs” flood my mind and tears fill my eyes. What would I have become had she lived?

When she died, my life was ripped apart – literally. I had to go to different places after school as my grandparents – my mom’s parents – were so distraught they were unable to be there for me at that time – although later on, they would become the most important people in my young life. Aunts and uncles who, I don’t think really wanted me, allowed me to go to their home after school. I had to wait until my dad picked me up. I felt like a burden on the world. An unwanted problem that no one had the solution for.

Gradually, my grandparents, particularly my grandfather, gave me the love and stability I needed. In fact, my grandfather became my best friend – and to this day I have never had a better, wiser or more loyal friend. He did everything he could to help me achieve whatever goals my dreams conjured up. He ignited my lifelong love of reading by buying me books about Babe Ruth, the solar system, the planets and other topics he knew interested me. I became an avid reader then – I still am. He bought me my first guitar, my first Beatles’ album, encouraged me to follow my musical dreams and write songs.

Then one day, he had a stroke and died – right before my eyes. I was a young man then – no a young boy – but the impact of his death was just as profound and impactful as my mother’s death.

There have been other tragedies in my life, but those I’ve mentioned happened when the tree was young and those became my gnarly roots.

And sometimes, even now, all the memories of my past are colored by those two profound personal tragedies. And sometimes, if I let them, the colors from the past wash out the colors of the now. And with the colors of my life already being muted by the incessant march of time, it would be easy to allow my world to become gray.

But I won’t do that. And I can’t change time – I can’t change my age – I can’t ever be young again. But I can be thankful. I have so many things to be thankful for. And so do you.

I have too many precious things to be thankful for, but here are a few.

I’m thankful for my kids. They’ve remained close to me since they were born. I’ll be going to my youngest son’s house for Thanksgiving this year. My oldest son, who lives closer, comes every week to take me to lunch – we spend time “catching up”- although I’m sure for him it’s not as pleasant a time as it is for me.

I’m thankful that I’m still able to get out every day and walk for an hour. I’ve been out there every day walking in rain, snow, cold and the withering heat of summer. But the days I remember the most was the perfect walking days. And never have I ever taken a walk without being thankful that I’m still able to do it.

I’m thankful for our little business and my partner Darcy. She’s put up with me for a long time – no easy task. And every year we struggle along and at the end of each year we look back and realize we’ve made it.

I’m thankful for all the friends we’ve made along the way. They have supported our small business and helped us through the tough times.

I’m thankful I’ve got a nice place to live. It’s warm and dry. I don’t need a mansion. I’m happy with what I have and thankful for all I have.

We all have a lot to be thankful for – and it isn’t the money you have in the bank. It isn’t the material things you’ve accumulated. It’s not that fancy luxury car in your driveway. The things that you have to be thankful for are easy to find.

Imagine it’s your last day on earth. What things are most important to you? “… and all your money won’t another minute buy…” If you want to know what matters most to you – imagine it’s your last day.

It won’t be your money, your real estate, your stocks, your bonds, your checking account – it won’t be any material thing. It will be the ones who love you and the ones you love. Your family, your friends, your good deeds, and everything you can feel with your good heart. Those are things you’ll be most thankful for on your last day.

“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make…”

It’s Thanksgiving. It’s a time for to give thanks. And if you think you have nothing to be thankful for, think again. You do. You have a lot to be thankful for. You may be struggling financially, your health may not be good, you may not be young anymore, you may have had disappointments and let down… but still you do have a lot to be thankful for – and so do I.

It’s a time to give thanks.

Looking up

I stumbled onto a way to improve my delicate condition. I do not know why it occurred to me but I am glad it did. Butch has used a nasal spray for quite a few years and really cannot get along without it. So I decided to see if it would help and it really has helped. I have not had a headache now for 2 whole days! I am using the Costco Kirkland Aller-Flo nasal spray. Much less expensive than Flonase or Nasacort. I am getting tired of talking about how I feel and have been oh so ready to move on! And now I can.
I am set up to start Trivia next Tuesday night at 6:30. The activity director, Stephanie has been very helpful in getting this started. I am ready to get my hand back in. I am also anxious for the other trivia person to get here so I can be a player too.
Butch has been playing pool, golf, and bridge. We all knew he wasn't going to sit still very long. He has found a new partner for outside the park league play. His name is Lonnie Hull and oddly enough he has a Jefferson connection. Lonnie used to work at Parker Industries and American Athletics in his youth. He now lives in the Chicago area but he remembers many people that we mutually know from Jefferson. What are the chances that we would end up in the same park in South Texas? Oh and besides he is one heck of a good pool player. I think they will enjoy each others company.

Liz doing what she does, being a hairdresser. Sometimes she does not have much to work with. Here she works on Dave.

And then it is Butch's turn.

This is our new spot in a new park. Trophy Gardens. We really enjoy the perfect shade we get from the tree. We face west. It is very different having our door opening on the north but it is working out well for us.

Being Hopeful

The road back to health has been longer and more tentative than any in my memory. Perhaps an indication of the years I have traveled on this earth but who the heck wants to admit that! I would get to feeling better and then have another headache and another setback. I thought perhaps I should consult a doctor but since I rarely agree with or like what they tell me I saved it for my last resort. I am still saving it. A couple of days ago I felt well enough to return to my walking routine. I came home and immediately knew I had stepped over the line. So time passed and I felt better and while playing cards in a group the lady beside me started recounting her frequent and sudden headaches and low and behold I found a friend in pain! Symptoms and results were the same and now that I know someone else in the same boat I have a bit more hope there will be an end to it.

Yesterday I once again had a headache. Fought through it to play some pool. Came home and rested a bit and then went on a trip to visit Magnolia friends. I miss them. It is good to talk to them for many reasons and one of them is that we have made the right decision for us. We have not established a predictable routine and it will most likely be a while before we do. Things are still in flux.

This will tell you...

...that I am feeling better!
Here is a computer tip for you. I have had this happen to my computing friends on rare occasion so know some of you will be glad to have this in your bag of tricks.
What to Do If Your Laptop Computer Won't Boot 
A Windows tip 
Windows 7, Windows 8x, Windows 10 (all versions)

"This morning my laptop computer would not boot into Windows. The first time it did show the desktop but would not do anything. Shut it down manually with the power button. Second time only got the blue screen of death,. Shut it down and restarted but got the same thing the next time. Fourth time got the desktop but nothing worked and after an hour or so the circle was still spinning. Manually shut it down again. THEN remembered a trick that had worked for me numerous times on my laptops through the years. 

Here is my trick to fix:

* Shut down using the power button - wait until all power lights are off.
* Unplug from electric and unplug all other connections such as your mouse,  USB flash drives, printers, external drives, etc.
* Remove battery (if your battery is removable)
* Wait at least 2 minutes.
* Reinstall battery (if you removed it)
* Plug laptop into electrical power.
* Push the power button. Your computer should now boot up.  If not repeat each step in order. Be patient and don't rush.
* Be sure all is loaded and you can see all the icons.
* If all is well, plug in your mouse (if you use one), external drives, printer, etc.  and allow each to connect before adding another one.

Hope you can share this for all the laptop users and hope it helps. Sure a lot easier than reloading or trying to fix windows..."